1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sterilization cases and, more particularly, to orthopaedic instrument sterilization cases.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sterilization containers are known that provide organization, storage and sterilization functionality for surgical instruments and devices. In order to avoid infection to a patient on which such instruments used, the instruments are required to be cleaned and sterilized after a procedure, and therefore, before use.
Surgical procedures are regularly performed using “sets” of pre-selected surgical instruments, each set being a collection of instruments established from experience or design to be useful in a given surgical procedure. The surgical instruments expected to be used in a particular procedure are grouped together to form a set, and, as a set, are sterilized, stored on a pan or tray, and finally transported on that pan or tray to the operating room when their use is required. Complex procedures typically involve a substantial number of instruments. Thus, typically, several instrument trays may be necessary to accommodate all of the required surgical instruments. Accordingly, sterilizing cases often are designed to accommodate a plurality of trays with the instruments arranged on the trays in such a manner that the trays may be accessed as the surgical procedure advances often in a preset sequence.
An example of a cleaning procedure can be the instruments are first placed into a tank containing water and perhaps solvents, and ultrasound is applied to agitate the fluid to wash and remove the debris, such as biomatter, remaining on the instruments from their last use. The instruments are then sterilized in some manner to destroy any microorganisms, viruses or other contamination on the hand instruments. The two sterilization methods include the use of dry heat, wherein the instruments are heated to a high temperature, for example at least 365° Fahrenheit for a period of time, or the use of steam under pressure in an autoclave system. The time to sterilize, using a steam autoclave system, depends on heat and pressure and whether the instruments are wrapped or not. In some sterilization processes, chemicals are applied to the hand instruments as an intermediate step between the ultrasonic bath and the heating. A third method of sterilization is a chemical autoclave wherein a controlled atmosphere of various gases is used, with heat and humidity in some instances, to sterilize the instruments held within sealed sterile wraps. Radiation can also be used to sterilize instruments. In the situation of instruments in a sterilization case, a sterile wrap can cover the case to maintain the sterile field within the case after sterilization.
Major surgeries such as hip or knee replacements have larger instruments requiring multiple cases and trays of instruments. Sterilization systems are known which have multiple trays in a drawer arrangement, however when a tray is pulled forward to access the instruments, there is a shift in center of gravity forward which can cause the system to become unstable and tilt forward. Braces are known which rotate forward to stabilize such a sterilization case. Such braces, when in a stabilizing position, increase the footprint of the sterilization case on the table in the operating room.
What is needed in the art is an easily configurable sterilization system which does not become unstable when accessing instruments, which can accommodate large and complex instrument sets and which minimizes the sterilization container footprint while maximizing access to the instruments.